Morganable News/Security&Justice
The NCCSALW boss disclosed that since its establishment, the centre has recovered more than 21,000 illicit, obsolete and unserviceable weapons across Nigeria through coordinated operations involving multiple security agencies
kaNo —
The Federal Government on Thursday intensified its crackdown on illegal arms proliferation with the destruction of 2,819 illicit and decommissioned small arms and light weapons in Abuja, bringing the total number of such weapons permanently removed from circulation to about 19,000.
The exercise, organised by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), took place at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment in Giri, Abuja, and forms part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to curb the widespread availability of weapons fueling insecurity across the country.
Officials at the event said the destruction process carried out through burning and subsequent smelting was designed to ensure that the recovered weapons are permanently rendered unusable and cannot find their way back into circulation.
Speaking during the exercise, the Director-General of the NCCSALW, Johnson Kokumo, described the exercise as a decisive step in strengthening national security.
“We are gathered here today to witness the destruction, by burning and subsequent smelting, of approximately 2,819 small arms and light weapons,” he said.
“These are weapons that were illicitly acquired, or have since been decommissioned and rendered unserviceable, and which now stand permanently removed from circulation in our society.”he added.
According to him, each weapon destroyed represents a potential crime averted.
“Every weapon that goes into these flames today is a weapon that can never again be used to threaten a community, disrupt a market, waylay a traveller, or arm a criminal or terrorist enterprise,” he added.
NCCSALW Destroyed 21,000 Illicit Weapons Since Establishment
The NCCSALW boss disclosed that since its establishment, the centre has recovered more than 21,000 illicit, obsolete and unserviceable weapons across Nigeria through coordinated operations involving multiple security agencies.
Prior to Thursday’s exercise, over 16,000 of those weapons had already been destroyed.
“With today’s exercise, that cumulative figure rises to about 19,000 weapons permanently taken out of circulation. This is a milestone we should all take pride in, and one that reflects years of sustained, disciplined, inter-agency work,” Kokumo said.
He warned arms traffickers and illegal manufacturers that the government remains resolute in its determination to track, recover and destroy illicit weapons wherever they are found.
“To those who traffic in illicit arms: the weapons you move will, in time, be found, and they will be destroyed, never to return to circulation,” he declared.
Kokumo also highlighted the role of illicit small arms in driving insecurity across Nigeria, linking their proliferation to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, farmer-herder conflicts and armed robbery.
He explained that the weapons destruction programme complements ongoing military operations, intelligence gathering, border surveillance and socio-economic interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of violence.
According to him, the police contributed 11,907 automatic firearms and locally fabricated weapons seized during operations nationwide.
He also commended the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other agencies for their collaboration.
Exercise Reveals Govt Commitments To National Security
In his remarks, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, represented by the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, said the exercise demonstrated the government’s sustained commitment to improving national security.
“Today’s destruction of approximately 2,809 illicit, decommissioned and unserviceable small arms and light weapons, bringing the cumulative number of weapons destroyed since the centre’s establishment to about 19,000, is a remarkable achievement,” he said.
“It reflects sustained institutional commitment and deserves the recognition of every Nigerian who desires a safer and more secure nation.”
He noted that illicit weapons remain the “lifeblood” of violent crimes, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry and communal violence, stressing that every recovered and destroyed weapon reduces the capacity of criminal elements to operate.
“Every weapon recovered by our gallant Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, and every weapon permanently destroyed through exercises such as this, represents a threat eliminated from our society,” Ribadu stated.
The National Security Adviser, however, cautioned that recovering weapons alone is not sufficient if they are not properly accounted for and destroyed.
“Arms that are seized but poorly tracked, improperly stored or inadequately accounted for can find their way back into circulation through theft, negligence or compromise,” he warned.
“Public, transparent and verifiable destruction, such as we are witnessing today, permanently closes that possibility. It guarantees that these recovered weapons can never again be used against any Nigerian.”
Ribadu called on Nigerians to support the government’s efforts by reporting illegal possession, manufacturing and trafficking of arms, while urging traditional and religious leaders to promote peace and voluntary disarmament in their communities.
He also issued a stern warning to those involved in illegal arms activities.
“To those who remain engaged in the illegal manufacture, trafficking or use of weapons, let today’s exercise serve as a clear message: every illicit weapon recovered will ultimately end where these weapons are ending today, in the fire, never to return to our streets,” he said.
Proliferation Of Arms Fueling Nigeria’s Insecurity
Security experts have consistently identified the proliferation of small arms and light weapons as a major factor fueling Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly in regions affected by insurgency, banditry and communal conflicts.
The destruction exercise comes at a time when the country continues to grapple with multiple security threats, underscoring the importance of sustained efforts to cut off the supply of weapons to criminal networks.
The NCCSALW was established under the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act, 2024 to coordinate national efforts aimed at controlling the spread of illicit arms, strengthening inter-agency collaboration and ensuring that recovered weapons are permanently removed from circulation.
Officials say continued collaboration among security agencies, coupled with public support, will be critical in sustaining the progress recorded so far and in reducing the availability of weapons that enable violent crimes across Nigeria.
